Happy New Year!!

I had originally titled this post simply "New Year", as I really wasn't very happy at all. Then at about 1:30 this afternoon came a familiar meowing at the door. There was Sammy, as loud as ever, wanting to be let in. He seemed healthy, clean and not to have lost any weight. He did seem a bit confused at first and went immediately to his food dish and ate and ate. Then he sat on my lap in the living room by the fire for over an hour. He wanted to go back out and I really hesitated on that on. Joe of course gave his usual reply..."Let the cat be a cat". Sammy went out for about 15 minutes and then came right back in. We have no idea where he was or what was wrong with him to stay away for 6 days. He seems to have some sort of scrape on his left back leg, but it's not all bloody or bad looking. Maybe he was just healing-up from that while he was hiding. We will never know as he won't give up any information and the other cats are staying mum about it too. Our little family is back together and 2009 is becoming much brighter and more hopeful for me. Not that I wasn't looking forward to it. 2008 was pretty good overall and I have many stitching, crafting, gardening and gymnastics plans for 2009. While Sammy was missing a huge cloud hung over me and I just couldn't settle into any projects except frantic cleaning and knitting of scarves. Knitting is my tension-release craft, especially scarves. I can just whip through them without much thought or concentration, but it keeps my hands moving and the brain functioning in some way. As for moving and functioning, I am still swimming 3 mornings a week after break while I pigged-out at Willy Wonka's Christmas house (aka my parent's house). I never remember that many candies, cakes, cookies or any type of snack food for that matter being at that house while I was growing up. I suppose the generational progression has come around. The same way my grandparent's house was the "Feast of Treats" when I was little, my parent's house has become that way for my niece and nephew and when I visit I reap the benefits.

Tonight I dyed a few pieces of fabric...some linen and a bit of 18 count Aida, to some nice brown tones. Last week I ordered some Barbara Ana Designs patterns at Creative Poppy and my friend Alisha was kind enough to print them out for me. It is really a struggle without the printer. Luckily the scanner part of the machine still works. I also went a bit crazy at Laurel's Stitchery. She's having a 20% off sale until midnight tonight. I love her on-line shop. The prices are always reasonable and she only charges $2 shipping no matter how big the order ( $8 to Europe). Can't beat that. I know I will regret my little "retail therapy", but now that Sammy is back I can get into my normal routine and stitch a little......and exercise a lot. No, I won't even dare to make a New Year's Resolution about my weight AGAIN! Every year it is the same old story. This year there are a lot more aches and pains to go along with the excess pounds, so I will stick with my swimming and I bought one of those small exercise balls to go along with the big one I already have. Now they can be friends as I seem to pay no attention to them at all.